The Macaulay Hunter Food Plan, Sort of

This past year I have eaten in various college dining halls, and let me tell you, less than stellar. Like many other schools, my friends had to be on some sort of meal plan, a.k.a. dishing out thousands for food that isn’t exactly the greatest. At first you may think, “Wow unlimited food! Wow, I don’t need to prepare anything!” But by the second meal, at least I have found, it gets very old, very quickly.

At Macaulay, your dining hall is New York City. Cheesy, I know, but so true.

Usually during the week I’ll keep it simple and cook something or lean cuisine it, but when you have an older brother that works in the city, you don’t feel so bad going out to eat.

This week my brother and I hit up Madison Square Eats twice, and once with my uncle for some deliciously awesome food. What this is is a small pack of vendors from places all around the city crammed into a space right next to Madison Square Park for a few weeks. We got pulled pork sandwiches, exotic iced teas, ice cream sandwiches, cake truffle balls, and the list goes on. The weather has been beautiful so we lounged around with green views of the park and the Flatiron Building until we slipped out of our food comas.

There are a bunch of food events like this, as well as random street fairs, which are cute and something fun to do with friends, family, or even alone. There is also restaurant week where you can get discounted meals at really fancy places. Obviously, I have taken advantage of all of these types of events, and the only thing I have come to regret is how high my cholesterol has gotten. (Partly hereditary.) 

In the city you have the freedom to eat basically whatever you want, wherever you want. You can eat food as plain and boring or as spicy and exotic as you like, and everywhere in between. I, as well as my friends, have tried foods we would have probably never even imagined if we didn't live in the city. We have all found some really great places, cheap too, just from wandering around so much. Suggestions come in pretty frequently as well, which isn't really too bad either. 

When you don’t want to go out, you can get food from a variety of supermarkets around the city to keep in your room. (I prefer Trader Joe's and Fairway.) I usually go food shopping once a week or so, keeping my room stocked with healthy snacks at all times. You can also check out the green markets, and the guys on the side of the street that sell fruit. It would take a valiant effort to avoid food in the city. 

At the end of my second semester, I haven’t spent nearly as much on food compared to what a food plan would cost for two semesters somewhere else, and that’s including all the splurging for seven-dollar ice creams on the weekends. Before I started school I thought I wouldn't be able to survive without a meal plan and prepared dining hall food, but now, I would never, ever want to be on one.